Arkansas sports betting continues to grow in 2026, with daily wagering putting the state on pace to approach $1 billion in bets by year-end. Mobile wagering has become a major part of that expansion, while the arrival of DraftKings and FanDuel has reshaped competition among Arkansas sportsbooks.
Football remains a major source of betting activity, especially when the Arkansas Razorbacks play. Saracen Casino Chief Marketing Officer Carlton Saffa said customers also show strong interest in wagers placed while games are underway.
“When Arkansas is playing, it’s Arkansas. But we also have quite a bit of interest in in-game wagering. You can place a bet at the end of the game. You know, with five minutes left in the fourth quarter, with two minutes left in the fourth quarter. We see a little bit of everything,” Saffa said.
College football wagers are generally smaller than NFL bets, something Saffa described positively.
“The guy betting 20 bucks on his team—that’s great, because it tells me people are betting with their shirt on and they’re not losing their shirt,” Saffa said.
Betting Activity Climbs Since 2019
Arkansas launched sports betting in 2019, when customers wagered $11 million. By 2025, annual sports betting volume had increased to $655 million.
“The first year, 2019, there was 11 million dollars wagered on sports,” said Schott Hardin of the Arkansas Department of Finance and Administration. “Last year, 2025, there were 655 million, and this year so far today, we’re averaging two and a half million dollars wagered per day on sports.”
That daily average places the state on track to come close to $1 billion in wagers during 2026.
Mobile sports betting, which Arkansas legalized in 2022, has helped drive that growth by allowing customers to wager from across the state.
“It’s a way that you can get in the game, change the game with sports from any couch anywhere in Arkansas,” Saffa said.
BetSaracen controlled around half of the market for four years before new competition arrived in March 2026. DraftKings entered through a partnership with Southland Casino, while FanDuel partnered with Oaklawn.
“Before DraftKings and FanDuel entered the market, we were the 13th largest book in the United States. And so I think perhaps we were too successful. We invited the competition into the state,” Saffa said.
July figures illustrate the shift. Southland and DraftKings recorded $28.2 million in mobile wagers, while Oaklawn’s FanDuel operation handled $24 million. BetSaracen took $8.8 million during the same month.
Betting Growth Brings Revenue and Risks
Sports betting also contributes to Arkansas tax revenue. Hardin said the state generated around $116 million from its three casinos last year, with approximately $9 million coming from sports wagering.
“Overall from the three casinos we generated about 116 million. If you want to break that our further about 9 million of that came from sports betting.”
The market’s expansion has also increased attention on gambling-related harm. Calls to Arkansas’ problem gambling hotline rose 23% during the first half of 2026.
Saffa said Saracen customers can set limits on deposits and restrict the number or size of their bets. Some of those restrictions are difficult to reverse after activation.
“We are aware of the fact that what we do can be very dangerous, and it can ruin people’s lives. Our business is doing very well, but we do not want people who have a problem betting with us. Nothing good can come from that,” Saffa said.
With mobile wagering continuing to expand and national operators now competing alongside BetSaracen, Arkansas sports betting has moved far beyond the levels recorded when the market launched. Current wagering levels indicate that the state could approach the $1 billion mark in 2026.
Source:
Arkansas sports betting nears $1B in wagers as mobile apps reshape game day, katv.com, September 10, 2026.
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